Adult behavior and a preliminary study of the sex pheromones of Bradyseism difformis
Author of the article:ZHANG Shuang** ZHANG Shao-Yong ZHAO Ying-Gou JIA Jin-WeiHUANG Jun-Hao CHEN An-Liang***
Author's Workplace：Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Biopesticide Preparation, Zhejiang Agriculture and Forestry University, Lin’an 311300, China
Key Words：Bradysia difformis, emergence, mating, bioassay, sex pheromone
Abstract：[Objectives] To find an efficient and pollution-free method to control Bradysia difformis Frey. [Methods] Systematic observation of the emergence and mating behaviors of B. difformis and a preliminary study of the chemical ecology of the sex pheromones of this species, including their effects on behavior was conducted under laboratory conditions. [Results] Emergence had an obvious daily rhythm; the peak of female emergence was from 16:00 to 21:00 and that of males was from 17:00 to 23:00. Adults accounted for 72% of the total population during daylight, and could copulate for about 3 minutes ten minutes after emergence. Biological activity tests showed that both female adults and a primary extract of sex pheromone from the female abdomen were attractive to the males (P<0.01). [Conclusion] GC/MS was used to analyze the constituents of the primary sex pheromone extracted from adult females. Three potential components of the sex pheromone were found; dodecane, n-Hexadecanoic acid and (z,z)-9,12-octadecadienoic acid.